Serrano Soy Juicy Grilled Chicken Thighs

This delicious grilled chicken thighs recipe is perfect for a midweek meal when you need dinner on the table in 30 minutes! The marinade serves as a brine so it infuses the flavor quickly and also acts like a glaze when the chicken is grilling! Easy and fast? Now that’s a mid week meal!

One of the most important pieces of advice I give all my students at cooking classes is that you always have to have a few winning recipes that take no time to make and pack a ton of flavor in each delectable bite. These grilled chicken thighs are JUST that! It is made with simple ingredients that when combined give that incredible umami flavor that makes your mouth go…WOAH.

See this recipe…it is another fabulous recipe that uses my cousin Kenny’s famous rub that I featured in another FANTASTIC grilled chicken recipe.

It was this grilled chicken thighs recipe that originally introduced me to his perfect spice mix full of smoky, salty, spicy goodness. This guys is a home run. And I have literally used it in A TON of recipes ever since. It has gotten to the point that I tell Kenny when I am running low and he gives me a few vacuum sealed bags (he is fancy) to stash into my freezer so that I do not run out. He is pretty awesome.

You know what else is awesome? These grilled chicken thighs. It’s fantastic. I love the mild yet flavorful heat that the addition of serrano peppers give the dish. In fact, if you frequently use jalapeños in your recipes, you may want to give serranos a try. They offer a bigger bang for your buck on both heat and flavor. I like to see it as a fancied up version of the jalapeño, made the teenager version to the child like jalapeño if you will.

The serranos are matched up nicely to a good punch of cilantro, lime, lime zest, garlic, soy sauce, balsamic and of course the famous spice mix. There is something very unique that happens when you use soy in a marinade. It acts like a brine and really gets inside the chicken in no time at all, creating our super delicious and tender grilled chicken thighs.

Another really great trick with this chicken is that the marinade doubles as a glaze for when the chicken is being grilled. See I told you it was easy! After the chicken has grilled on one side, remove it from the grill, dip it back into the marinade and watch it get all glorious.

Microplane: My favorite kitchen gadget of all time, used to zest the lime and mince the garlic.

Cast Iron Grill Pan: If it’s cold where you live or you want to make this in the winter THIS is my go to.

Soy and Serrano Grilled Chicken Thighs

This delicious grilled chicken thigh recipe is perfect for a midweek meal when you need dinner on the table in 30 minutes! The marinade serves as a brine so it infuses the flavor quickly and also acts like a glaze when the chicken is grilling!

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients of the marinade and whisk until combined. Or add to a ziplock bag and shake, shake, shake. You can also place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor so that it is finely combined. However, be careful the serrano will have a lot more heat this way.

Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed.

Add chicken thighs to bowl or ziplock bag and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Oil up and preheat the grill then place the chicken on the grill. After 4 minutes, remove the chicken and dip it into the remaining marinade and place it on the grill on the other side. Do the same exact process until the chicken is done. In total about 15 minutes. This way you end up with a beautiful glaze.

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What People are Saying:

Absolutely can’t wait to make this soup. We’re going to have up to 10 inches of snow here and this will be a great warm- up after digging out my car! Thank you.

2018-02-20T18:53:58-05:00

Absolutely can’t wait to make this soup. We’re going to have up to 10 inches of snow here and this will be a great warm- up after digging out my car! Thank you.

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11162/

This recipe was delicious and “do-able” even on a work nite! It was “fall off the bone” good. I do think I ended up with too much juice simply because I was afraid I’d burn them if I didn’t add just a little more vino. Thanks so much!

2018-02-20T18:54:08-05:00

This recipe was delicious and “do-able” even on a work nite! It was “fall off the bone” good. I do think I ended up with too much juice simply because I was afraid I’d burn them if I didn’t add just a little more vino. Thanks so much!

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11163/

Mila, you’re a genius. This recipe couldn’t be anymore straight forward and simple with an outstanding finished product. Seriously, a child with a little supervision could make this.

2018-02-20T18:54:18-05:00

Mila, you’re a genius. This recipe couldn’t be anymore straight forward and simple with an outstanding finished product. Seriously, a child with a little supervision could make this.

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11165/

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup was FANTASTIC! The broth is so flavorful and fresh tasting. Although the soup is lighter, it is still filling and super comforting. This will be added to my rotation for sure!

2018-02-20T18:53:44-05:00

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup was FANTASTIC! The broth is so flavorful and fresh tasting. Although the soup is lighter, it is still filling and super comforting. This will be added to my rotation for sure!

Okay, I need to pick up some smoked paprika on my next shopping trip because I need this spice blend and chicken in my life. We’ve been doing lots of grilling the last month and I’m excited to add this to the mix! Great post as always, Mila. <3

Hi! I’m Mila, the Girl and the Kitchen. And I believe in Good Food. Done Right. Having worked in many incredible restaurant kitchens as a chef, I know what it takes to make delicious, wholesome food with simple ingredients and bright flavors! I believe that anyone can make great-tasting food by knowing a few tricks of the trade. Come along as I teach you to prepare incredibly tasty and wholesome meals made with simple ingredients that are loaded with flavor in no time at all!